Stuart Dickson Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 (edited) https://anindependentscotsman.wordpress.com/2015/08/31/bullying-within-the-snp-an-open-letter-to-nicola-sturgeon/ Freedom of expression: not welcome within the SNP? I have tried to raise the issue of irregularities in the Westminster selection process with the SNP at every level. Not only do they refuse to act, but they refuse to even acknowledge concerns. My complaints have led to the circumstances detailed below, and as no one within the SNP will even acknowledge letters I feel I have no option but to issue a public open letter to the leader of the SNP Nicola Sturgeon. A copy of this has been emailed directly to her and various other members of the SNP executive. Dear Nicola, I voted in my first election in 1988, I voted SNP in that election and have voted SNP in every election until 2015. Based on what I have seen over the last 11 months or so I seriously doubt that I ever will again. In September 2014 following the Yes campaign, in which I played an active part, like many others I joined the SNP. I began attending branch meetings in Airdrie. Late in 2014 it was announced that the selection process would be opening to select candidates for the Westminster elections. I had heard that Neil Gray, the assistant to Alex Neil was to be nominated which I thought to be a poor choice, considering that for the previous four years I had heavily criticised the Labour Party for choosing Pamela Nash, the former assistant to John Reid, as their candidate. The referendum had thrown up many fantastically motivated individuals, and I hoped to support fresh talent with real life experience, not someone who came from within the political bubble. Initially there were four potential candidates and these were soon whittled down to two. One candidate, Craig Murray, failed vetting in a manner which I’m sure you are aware of, given its media coverage. My friend Steve Bell’s application on the other hand was refused due to two names on his nomination form who apparently had failed to renew their membership. Despite me personally submitting his nomination form to the branch secretary eleven days prior to the closing date, he wasn’t informed of the error (which was clearly not his fault) until a few weeks later, on the actual night of the first hustings. This was the first in a series of shameful acts carried out by the party. Two candidates remained: Neil Gray and Tommy Montgomery. As I had nominated Tommy Montgomery and was part of his team of supporters I paid close scrutiny to the electoral rules, as having seen another two candidates scrapped we did not want to give any cause for complaint. I noticed that there had been breaches of these rules in regards to electoral material issued on behalf on Neil Gray which in my opinion warranted severe action, and I raised this at the first hustings. Neil Gray dismissed this as “tittle-tattle”. Within days of that event, Tommy Montgomery had been called to SNP HQ in Edinburgh to answer a string of false and malicious allegations. These complaints had been made maliciously and the identity of the people who sent them to headquarters were confirmed by SNP’s solicitor to then SNP Councillor Alan Beveridge as being members of the Airdrie branch. Independent investigations by North Lanarkshire Council and Police Scotland cleared Tommy of all of the trumped up charges put against him. Following this I had a one to one meeting at SNP HQ with Scott Martin, to whom I relayed all my concerns. This meeting occurred only after repeated phone-calls which went unanswered and emails which were never replied to. I had to resort to going to SNP HQ in Edinburgh and waiting until someone would see me. Despite pointing out that making malicious allegations against another member breached the SNP code of conduct, no disciplinary action was taken against any individual. Around two weeks after the first hustings, at 0230hrs on 22nd January 2015 my wife and I were woken by banging on our door. I went downstairs to find my car ablaze and had to evacuate the family from the house due to the closeness of the car to the house. Police and Fire crew attended. My car, only a few months old, was completely written off. Had it been a only a few feet closer to our house it is probable that our house would have been destroyed with it, with us asleep inside. In February 2015 I attended a branch meeting of the Airdrie SNP at Airdrie Football ground which could only be described as a ‘kangaroo court’ where it was made clear to Councillor Alan Beveridge that he would be found guilty of all the ills which the branch found itself facing and that any members who challenged the existing branch regime were ‘a party within a party’ who would be facing expulsion from the SNP. I left the SNP immediately after that meeting, sickened by what had gone on. Subsequently letters were sent to virtually everyone who had supported and campaigned for Tommy Montgomery barring them from future membership, apart from myself which I found unusual. In June I sent a letter which was critical of the SNP to the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser and it was published in the paper on Wednesday. On the Friday of that week my wife and daughter noticed someone dressed in black hanging around outside and peering in the windows. When they were noticed they ran off, and this was reported to the police. Two nights later while getting ready for bed there was a knock at the door, and my 11 year old daughter said that there were two guys with hoods up and that she was frightened. We shouted down asking who was there and one of the guys opened the door and shouted “Is that James? Is that James?” I told him that I thought that he had the wrong house and he said “Take this as a warning, stop slandering XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. They then ran off. I got dressed and ran out to give chase but they had gone, we called the police and gave them all the details. In the following few days I received nuisance calls, all from withheld numbers, asking the same thing as the man who had entered our house: “Is that James? Is that James?” before hanging up. A few days later Councillor Beveridge arranged a meeting with someone from Police Scotland. I detailed my concerns and stated that it was our belief that these attacks were in relation to comments made about the SNP locally. He suggested that if I stopped writing about such matters and the attacks stopped this would perhaps indicate that our suspicions were correct. Following this the calls stopped and there were no further attacks on myself, my family or my house. On 19th August 2015 my step daughter Maxine and my wife had a discussion with an SNP Councillor where they spoke of their concerns about the attacks on our car and the threats made against us. A few days later the Police visited our home to speak to my step-daughter in regard to an allegation of using threatening behaviour to the SNP councillor. After speaking to my wife and step-daughter the police stated that there was no evidence of any such behaviour. I am disgusted that the already overstretched resources of the police are now being used against us, and yet no action can be taken regarding these false claims. On 24th August, I submitted a request to the SNP Data Protection Officer to carry out an investigation into how my address was passed to the Police. This was personally delivered to SNP HQ in Edinburgh, along with a copy addressed to you, and these were signed for by Beverley Murray. As of this date I have received no acknowledgement. Par for the course as I have come to learn. I believe that no organisation is perfect, and every organisation has its share of bad apples. I also believe that an acknowledgement of what has been done wrong must be carried out if you are to correct an error and find the right path. But in North Lanarkshire SNP this is simply impossible. Open discussion is labelled as dissent, subversion or infiltration by supporters of Tommy Sheridan. People are threatened with secret files and photographs, and legitimate complaints are ignored at every level. I know this, as I have copied every possible senior SNP member into my emails and seen no action taken. On a personal level every time I have publicly criticised the goings on within the SNP in North Lanarkshire my property has been attacked or I have been threatened, and these past months to stop any further attacks I have remained silent, but I cannot remain silent any longer. My family and I have been living in fear for the last 9 months and it is our opinion that there are individuals within the SNP who are misguided in their attempts to silence opposition. I do not know who these individuals are. I doubt you know either, but I am asking that you please issue a statement condemning any such action and asking these misguided people that we be left in peace without the constant fear of attack hanging over us. Regards, Jim Cassidy No surprise to any of this. Click on the link at the top to see the pictures of the burnt out vehicle described in the article. The SNP are a disgusting, undemocratic joke of a party and they are very much akin to the other National Socialists of the 1930's. Further to this however Alan Beveridge, named in the article as an SNP councillor who listened to Jim Cassidys complaints received this letter from the SNP leadership Edited September 2, 2015 by Stuart Dickson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Dickson Posted September 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 (edited) Another one http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13635110.SNP_candidate_denies_cheating_to_clinch_Holyrood_nomination/ Tom Gordon Scottish Political Editor AN SNP candidate is facing claims of trying to cheat his way into Holyrood. Andy Doig is alleged to have used insider information to canvas support from party members for weeks ahead of an internal selection contest in Renfrewshire South. Furious local members have now complained to SNP HQ about dirty tricks, and urged that the Renfrewshire councillor is dropped as a 2016 candidate. The row is particularly toxic for the SNP as it threatens to drag in the party’s rising star, Paisley MP Mhairi Black, as her Westminster seat overlaps Renfrewshire South. Doig, 53, this weekend tweeted a picture of Black endorsing him as the candidate. The infighting erupted on Wednesday after Doig won a five-way selection battle in which he finally beat Tom Arthur, the national secretary of SNP Youth, by around 300 votes to 250. It prompted claims that Doig had gained an unfair advantage by soliciting support from members since May, despite the official campaign period running from August 1 to 24. Emails obtained by the Sunday Herald show Doig, the depute leader of the SNP group on Renfrewshire Council, contacted members in late May with a political CV headed “Re-Elect Cllr Andy Doig - A Strong Voice for Renfrewshire South”. In another email from June, Doig wrote: “Some weeks ago I informed the membership that I was seeking the SNP nomination… Since then I have been trying to talk to and meet as many members in the ward to put the positive case for my nomination”. It is understood that at least three of Doig’s rivals for the candidacy - Arthur, Tracie McGee and Michelle Rodger - have filed complaints about Doig’s action. Doig and his wife Audrey, who is also a Renfrewshire councillor, have been accused of using internal party data to canvas members by telephone, post and email. Party insiders told the Sunday Herald that SNP HQ had been sent an alleged telephone ‘crib sheet’ used to drum up votes for Doig outside the campaign period. One local SNP member said: “This has been dirty, sneaky, horrible. I’m walking away from the party if this does not go the right way. This is old politics. This is Labour mark 2.” Another said: “If no action is taken by HQ there will be a revolt and members will just leave.” However a senior SNP source downplayed the complaints in Renfrewshire South. “We get dozens of these. It’s par for the course. You can’t take the politics out of politics.” Doig, an alcohol addictions counsellor and healthcare chaplain, was the SNP candidate in Renfrewshire South in 2011, and came just 2587 votes behind Labour’s Hugh Henry. Doig told the Sunday Herald that if members had complaints they should raise them with HQ. Pressed on the allegations of cheating and dirty tricks, he said: “I deny these vigorously.” However confronted with evidence of him issuing emails before the official contest, he said: “The people who are complaining, and it’s one person in particular, actually did the same thing. I’m really quite concerned. There’s been a campaign against me of personal vilification. I’ve received abusive emails. I’ve actually had to complain to HQ about abusive posts on Facebook about me. I just urge everybody in the party to get behind me as the parliamentary candidate.” An SNP spokesman said: “The SNP’s candidate selection is an internal democratic process where the decisions rest firmly with our membership.” Earlier this month the Sunday Herald revealed turmoil in the neighbouring East Renfrewshire SNP branch, where a potential challenger to the establishment candidate was blocked. So that's higher profile SNP members in North Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire quitting over major problems within the Natsi party. Hopefully this season the board at St Mirren will see sense and finally remove the political advertising boards within the stadium. Surely they won't want to be associated with these Scottish Fascists anymore Edited September 2, 2015 by Stuart Dickson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 As you are a Tory supporter, I would suggest you might want to be more preoccupied with what goes on within the machinery of that political party. Two words.... Dolphin Square. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smcc Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 And there is no infighting in any other political party? History is obviously not SD's strong point. Oops! Posted this before reading Drew's post. Apologies, Drew! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickMcD Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 As you are a Tory supporter, I would suggest you might want to be more preoccupied with what goes on within the machinery of that political party. Two words.... Dolphin Square. Don't disagree with your sentiment but Dolphin Square was an all party extra curricular venue. Certainly not SNP granted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Don't disagree with your sentiment but Dolphin Square was an all party extra curricular venue. Certainly not SNP granted. Indeed. I only highlighted the Tories as they are Stuart's party of choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickMcD Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Indeed. I only highlighted the Tories as they are Stuart's party of choice. Fair do's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayrshire Saints Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Stuing yet again as he knows the rise and rise of the SNP in Scotland continues. Your one man crusade is as pointless as it is pathetic. I suggest a wee holiday here http://www.seething.org.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby_F Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Never venture in here, but saw the 'Natsi' word in the heading of a 'recent article' on the Fanzone page. Never thought I'd find something to make me respect Law Stud even less but, well, I was wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nosferatu Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 And there is no infighting in any other political party? History is obviously not SD's strong point. Oops! Posted this before reading Drew's post. Apologies, Drew! What... you mean that politics in an independent Scotland wouldn't be any different to the way it in the UK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nosferatu Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 (edited) Stuing yet again as he knows the rise and rise of the SNP in Scotland continues. Your one man crusade is as pointless as it is pathetic. I suggest a wee holiday here http://www.seething.org.uk/ You sound like Rangers supporter... Edited September 2, 2015 by nosferatu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonny Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Should we now refer to the Tory party as the SS? Fascist Bastards? National Front? To infer an association of any political group anywhere on the planet to the Nazi party is an outrage and embarrassment and completely negates anything that the inferencer is attempting to communicate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oaksoft Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 https://anindependentscotsman.wordpress.com/2015/08/31/bullying-within-the-snp-an-open-letter-to-nicola-sturgeon/ No surprise to any of this. Click on the link at the top to see the pictures of the burnt out vehicle described in the article. The SNP are a disgusting, undemocratic joke of a party and they are very much akin to the other National Socialists of the 1930's. Further to this however Alan Beveridge, named in the article as an SNP councillor who listened to Jim Cassidys complaints received this letter from the SNP leadership 11954590_1190582257625492_8206950877708027408_n.jpg Are you actually accusing the SNP of orchestrating the firebombing of somebody's car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Dickson Posted September 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 How did the bigot manage to miss this? http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/conservative-party-may-take-action-after-local-councillor-claims-prospective-mp-was-rejected-due-to-handicap-of-being-brown-and-a-woman-9917951.html Did someone set her car on fire? Did someone attempt to threaten her daughter? Or is that purely the Natsi way of doing things? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Dickson Posted September 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 (edited) Are you actually accusing the SNP of orchestrating the firebombing of somebody's car? I'm not - Jim Cassidy is. Read the blog for what it is Oaksoft Edited September 2, 2015 by Stuart Dickson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edinbuddie Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 For the last time, if no-one responded to his nonsense, then presumably even someone as tedious as he appears to be, would become tired and disappear. I know some folk appear to enjoy the knock about nature and arguing with him, but all you're doing is encouraging him. I've long ceased to take anything he says about any subject seriously. Particularly his long winded, over verbose pieces on subjects such as youth football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Dickson Posted September 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 For the last time, if no-one responded to his nonsense, then presumably even someone as tedious as he appears to be, would become tired and disappear. I know some folk appear to enjoy the knock about nature and arguing with him, but all you're doing is encouraging him. I've long ceased to take anything he says about any subject seriously. Particularly his long winded, over verbose pieces on subjects such as youth football. Hello respondent..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oaksoft Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 I'm not - Jim Cassidy is. Read the blog for what it is Oaksoft Did someone set her car on fire? Did someone attempt to threaten her daughter? Or is that purely the Natsi way of doing things? You've accused the SNP of being behind a firebombing and threats to someone's daughter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Dickson Posted September 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 (edited) You've accused the SNP of being behind a firebombing and threats to someone's daughter. Nope. I have picked up articles written by Jim Cassidy and Alan Beveridge - both former members of the SNP, who have detailed the intimidation they received within the party and who state that senior members of the party have ignored their complaints and instead would have moved to expel them had they not already left the party. The fact that more and more people who have served that party are beginning to whistleblow is no surprise at all. After all there was a persistent campaign from Nationalists of threatening behaviour, intimidation and bullying both during the referendum campaign and through the General Election. This is just another step further into the gloomy dark world of the Nationalist where morality is sadly lacking. On my own doorstep my local MP - Marion Fellows - has involved herself in a Child Maintenance case where she has opted to assist an absent parent who has refused to keep up maintenance payments to try to stop the Child Maintenance Service enforcing a wage arrestment order. There's no thought or care to the individual having to support their child, or indeed to the child themselves, whilst the absent parent refuses to pay. Why get involved? Well she refuses to answer but I suspect it was because in this case the absent parent is a woman whose partner is an active member of the local SNP party - an action that really does have a 1930's style undertone to it where members of the National Socialist Party in Germany were able to gain advantage using their party membership. Fortunately the Child Maintenance Service - based in the North of England - were not so easily intimidated. They paused action for 1 day before dismissing Ms Fellows involvement in the case and proceeding with the order. Edited September 2, 2015 by Stuart Dickson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smcc Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 What... you mean that politics in an independent Scotland wouldn't be any different to the way it in the UK? Your twisted mind might construe it in this way. What I suggested was that every political party since the dawn of time has had its share of infighting. The SNP is not unique in this respect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougJamie Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 For the last time, if no-one responded to his nonsense, then presumably even someone as tedious as he appears to be, would become tired and disappear. I know some folk appear to enjoy the knock about nature and arguing with him, but all you're doing is encouraging him. I've long ceased to take anything he says about any subject seriously. Particularly his long winded, over verbose pieces on subjects such as youth football. WTF are people doing responding to this moron. He posts this at 4.33 in the morning. Now he is either so excited about posting this f ing sh!te that he cant sleep, or he is so sad, that he posts this on a saints forum. Stuart get a life, spout your fanatical crap on either a political forum or a piece of toilet paper. Its bad enough hearing from tossers on here that our football team is doomed I don't expect to hear your twisted views. I am no Tory, but if that is your poison, your a disgrace to them to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shull Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 He is entitled to post whenever and whatever he likes. And he has not posted in the incorrect Section. Reply to him or not. No need for meltdowns. Keep up the good work Stu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FTOF Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Read it and weep blubber boy! http://news.stv.tv/scotland-decides/news/1327913-stv-poll-scots-would-vote-yes-if-a-second-referendum-were-held-now/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salmonbuddie Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 They're just not listening to the voice in the wilderness that is StuD, are they? Shame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salmonbuddie Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 That's kind of what I was getting at, cockles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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